


How is She So Cute?!

by microwavey



Category: World Trigger
Genre: F/F, Fluff, Valentine's Day
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-25
Updated: 2015-12-25
Packaged: 2018-07-21 16:28:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,944
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7394983
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/microwavey/pseuds/microwavey
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After the Large Scale Invasion, Izuho decides to distract Chika to give her a little surprise for her birthday. Third person limited, with first person thoughts from Izuho. I hope you like vanilla!</p>
            </blockquote>





	How is She So Cute?!

**Author's Note:**

  * For [onyx](https://archiveofourown.org/users/onyx/gifts).



> I wrote this for a World Trigger Secret Santa event on Tumblr last year. It was my first time ever writing fic in general, so I appreciate any constructive feedback you have to give me! There's a sore lack of my two daughters so I hope more people see the light after this...

It had been about a month since the Large Scale Invasion in Mikado City, Chika and Izuho were walking side by side to Border from school. Izuho instinctively shifted to Chika’s left side so that she’d be between any cars. After the Invasion, Izuho was guilty she was powerless to help her first self-proclaimed friend. Chika was always meek but diligent, and Izuho didn’t want to hold her back.

“Hey Chikako, it’s almost a week till Valentine’s Day! Do you have anything planned?” Izuho turned towards Chika and grinned cheekily. “Maybe something for Glasses-senpai? He was surprisingly reliable, for a dude who looks pretty plain.”  _ She probably has a crush on Senpai, so we could make some chocolates! _ Izuho’s thought process was simple but direct. Chika made eye contact and after a moment looked to the ground. She was smiling softly but her eyes looked like distant moons.

“Yes, he always looks out for those around him. It’s only obligation chocolates but I was thinking of making some myself, since he’s probably going to give me something for my birthday again.” Chika looked up again, and tilted her head, noting that Izuho’s mouth was agape.

“Hold on, it’s your birthday? Soon?! Why didn’t I know about this?” Her eyes were so focused on Chika that she almost tripped, not paying attention to the pebbles scattered on the ground--they were near the area closed off to civilians. Chika immediately fretted and scrambled for Izuho’s hand so she wouldn’t fall, even though Izuho had already caught herself.

“My birthday is the 11th! I’m sorry I didn’t tell you, I just didn’t really find the chance to…” Izuho perked up. They’d only been friends for about a month, but she knew that Chika wasn’t the type to lie or try to cover up accidents. Looking down she saw Chika was still holding her hand.

“Eheh… I’m alright now, thanks Chikako.” She didn’t realize, but her cheeks had been burning a bright pinkish hue. Folding her arms behind her head, she pouted and feigned bashfulness.

“Well… it’s not your fault. I just thought, you know, I’d have more time for setting up something special,” she mumbled.  _ Geez. You really aren’t giving me room to work with here… _ Chika smiled nervously, and Izuho realized Chika probably wasn’t used to people being so forward about her. Izuho grabbed Chika’s right shoulder and moved in to pull on her cheek with the other one. 

“All this means is we have a lot coming up the next few weeks, since you also have rank wars! How about the next day off we get from joint sniper practice, we go out for special training?” Izuho made a peace sign and flashed a toothy grin. 

“Okay, that sounds fun!” Chika took a breath and gave a more relaxed smile. 

* * *

Sunday, February 9th. This was the day both Chika and and Izuho were free. They decided earlier they’d to go into Mikado City Mall to buy the chocolate they were going to mix later for their Valentine’s Day confections. Chika wore a dark purple peacoat with deep pockets, a yellow scarf, and dark blue slacks. Izuho had a red leather jacket with an auburn scarf tucked into the slightly open zipper, and baby blue skinny jeans. Izuho was slightly embarrassed but not surprised that Chika already knew how to prepare homemade chocolates, so Chika was going to teach her. At the mall, they also browsed other shops to pass some time. 

“Hey Chikako, do you already know what kind of chocolate Glasses-senpai likes?” Izuho suggested they check out some clothes before buying any food or sweets, so they were at Banana Democrat. It was unexpectedly cold today due to wind, so they were checking out winterwear. 

“Yes, he likes dark chocolate. He says it’s bitter but less unhealthy than the others so he doesn’t feel as bad eating it.” Chika was looking at a pair of boots.

“Huh, that’s kinda goofy even though it sounds like a smart answer at first. As expected of Glasses-senpai… Can’t underestimate him.” As they were walking around, Izuho had noticed Chika kept her hands in her pockets, and whenever she took them out, they were balled up. While Chika was listlessly looking around, Izuho sneaked into the glove section and found two matching pairs of a pastel orange set of gloves with flip tops. She excused herself to go to the bathroom and asked Chika to look for some moccasins at the other corner of the store; already preparing an excuse in her mind to shrug that purchase off later on. When she was done, Izuho walked back up to Chika and saw her staring at a pair of jeans. 

“You like those?” Izuho nudged her.

“Ah, they’re cute but I don’t think they have my size.” Chika folded the pants and placed them back. “It’s been a while since I spent a day having fun with another girl.” Chika was smiling, but her eyes were blank.  _ Probably because those neighbors keep targeting her.  _ Izuho shook her head and grabbed Chika’s hand.

“Well we can just keep looking around. This won’t be the last time I drag you around here!” Izuho pulled Chika towards the cashier and snagged a butterfly necklace on the stand nearby. 

“Here, this’ll be your first souvenir. You better treasure it,” said Izuho. Chika tried refusing and shaking her head, but Izuho would not have it. The cashier giggled as Izuho pulled out her wallet, making sure not to show the gloves in her jacket pockets.

“That’ll be ¥850.”

“Here you go.” As the cashier was counting her change, Izuho proudly placed the necklace around Chika’s neck. 

“This is the first jewelry I buy for someone else, Chikako. You better treasure it!” Chika was blushing and staring at the floor.

“I will. This is the first time I get a gift like this… Thank you, Natsume-chan.” 

“Aww, shucks. Don’t even mention it… That’s what I’m here for.” Izuho’s face started feeling very warm, so she did a quick exhale and started making towards the door. She walked so fast that behind her, Chika couldn’t see her face--eyes squinted shut and lips quivering in excitement. She let out inaudible squeal.  _ How is Chikako so **cute**?! _

* * *

Tuesday, February 11th. It was Chika’s birthday, and after school, she and Izuho agreed to make their chocolates at Chika’s house. 

“Ahh. No matter what I do, it keeps coming out bitter! What am I supposed to  _ do _ , Chikako??” Izuho was pouting and licking the taste-test chocolate off her fingers. This was her 4th batch, the 2nd to not get completely burned.

“Natsume-chan, you need to add more milk and a dash of vanilla extract to thin it out a bit.” Chika already finished, making enough chocolates for everyone at Tamakoma with just two trips to the oven. It was at this point Izuho wished she paid more attention in home ec class, even though this was just simple chopping and mixing.  _ This is what other girls normally think in this situation, don’t they? _ For the next batch, Chika held Izuho’s hand as she poured the milk and vanilla. 

“I wish my fingers were more delicate for stuff like this…” Izuho grumbled. Her brows were furrowed and had a visibly upset expression.

“You don’t need to be delicate. The more you do this, the better you’ll get. Natsume-chan might seem like a complaining slacker at first, but you never stop trying even when you get slowed down.” Izuho turned her neck back and saw Chika, eyes intently on the mixture, and whispered:

“Thank you.” Her pupils dilated a tinge and she sniffled a bit. Izuho quietly focused on what she was doing and after she finished, she sat and stared quietly at Chika, who was doing dishes. This tiny, shy, and diligent girl in front of her, humming serenely as she washed plates, looked so noble and dignified right now. Before today, no one had ever commented on Izuho’s work ethic. Although she goes out of her way to socialize and maintain connections, no one ever went out of their way to say an observation like that.  _ I just didn’t want to fall behind. I thought that if I couldn’t keep up, I’d be left by myself. By now, I figured that no one cared enough to point it out because it’s the way I’m expected to be. I can’t believe that this whole time, I was just waiting for someone. Someone to acknowledge me. To tell me that what I’m doing matters.  _ She was still staring blankly when Chika closed the faucet and turned around. Chika tilted her head and made an inquisitive “hm?” in Izuho’s direction. 

Just as Izuho realized what she was doing, a drop of moisture glimmered in her eyes. With the lightest blink, the teardrop clung and expanded from her eyelid like a layer of film being pulled off a surface. Before Chika could overreact to the sight of her friend suddenly crying in her kitchen, Izuho wiped her eye and started talking.

“A-Ahh. Hold on a bit. I spaced out and forgot to blink for a while! Sorry if that was a weird sight for you. How much longer till the chocolates are done?” With that quick save, Chika shook her head and went to the oven.

“About five minutes. I think you did really well with this last group.” Chika smiled and folded her hands as she sat down.

“Oh that’s great timing! Check this out, I want you to see this.” Izuho stood up and walked to the coat rack. 

“This should only take three minutes. Come, let’s go to your yard.” Chika looked confused but went along with it. Outside, there was snow piled up to their ankles. Izuho fished in her pockets and whipped out the two pairs of matching gloves.

“Ah, you see this? I bought it when we were at the mall. I wanted to surprise you! Here, take one.” She handed the gloves over, and Chika put them on. The bright but muted orange bounced the light from the snow lightly on her purple peacoat. The flip tops made her fingers look like little blobs.

“I thought this color would look nice on both of us, ‘cause of our jackets. Pretty cool, huh?” Izuho was smiling with her teeth showing and eyes closed, cheeks burning partly from the weather and partly from embarrassment. Chika’s cheeks also bore a rosy hue.

“I was never that cold though, Natsume-chan, you didn’t have to…” She said meekly.

“You idiot, I told you this is what friends do! Besides, at least like this…” She walked up slowly with her arms behind her back, and when the distance was just right, Izuho grabbed Chika’s hands and brought them to her chest.

“You don’t need to hide your hands in those pockets! If you get cold, just hold mine and we’ll warm each other up.” Izuho’s grin went from faintly warm to cartoonishly sly. 

“You may not realize it, but you’ve done a lot for me too, Chika-chan.” At the sound of the honorific, Chika’s face grew a shade brighter, and she immediately pulled her hands--still held by Izuho’s--toward her face and covered it. 

“Natsume-chan, it’s getting colder.” Izuho felt a grip returned on her own hands. Slightly surprised by equally pleased, she squeezed back and lowered her hands. Izuho pushed her face right in front of Chika’s and touched foreheads. While Chika seemed frozen, Izuho gave her an eskimo kiss and a peck on the cheek.

“Happy Birthday, Chikako.”  _ Things are only gonna get funner from here on out. _


End file.
